Timeline

Our first home gardens were planted after Tom and I were married.  They included beautiful flowers and veggies in the side yard.  Oh, and so many zucchinis!  In the early years, Tom and I talked about homesteading in Alaska.  He followed "Mother Earth" magazine and dreamed of using hydroponic growing techniques.  Ironically, years later, our family volunteered at a place called The Plant in Chicago which had a hydroponic growing facility and is heavily into the sustainability movement.  It was a wonderful experience for our family.  🥒🍆🍅🌿🌞🌼

Our boys were 16 and 12 when we purchased a 10-acre farmette with a 150-year-old farmhouse that needed major renovation.  It was a two-year labor of love.  These were the in the years which preceded our construction business and flooring franchise.  We were total newbies to renovation.  Had we known what we were getting into...well, we didn't which was probably a good thing.  Side note:  Big yard to take care of with (of course) in addition to the renovation. Along with the requisite flowers, we decided to plant over 3,000 Christmas trees.  Of course, who wouldn't? 🎄🌲🎍🧑‍🌾🚜

We moved to our lake house (on almost 4 acres) in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.  This was an adventure after living in the suburbs of Chicago for many years.  It's COLD in the winter, but we loved it.  Raising the turkeys and bees, well, who wouldn't?  The looks Tom and our son, Grant, got while herding the turkeys from boats passing the dock were priceless. 🦃🐝 👨‍🌾🏞️

After four years in Northern Wisconsin we decided it was time to return.  Tom had learned the carpentry trade from Northwoods craftsmen and we decided to purchase a flooring franchise.  Then a few years later we started a home improvement business with our younger son.  A few years later, they both completed their home inspection licenses and we set up that business also.  Of course, who wouldn't.  🚧🏗️🏠👷‍♂️👷‍♀️🧱

Well, we really didn't have enough going on.  Tom decided to bring some baby chicks (30 give or take) to our large suburban yard.  Of course, ... 😃  Tom had gotten bored taking care of all the plants in the yard in addition to running the businesses.  In addition to supplying the neighbors with baskets of veggies, they were treated to farm fresh eggs.  The ducks joined the fold a little later.  Honestly, it was beginning to feel like Old MacDonald's Farm.  🐔🥚🐣🐥🐤🦆

We decided it was time to make a change, so we moved to LA. 

 Like in "The Ballad of Jed Clampett", by Paul Henning--
The kinfolk said "Jed move away from there"
Said "Californy is the place you ought to be"
So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly
Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.  

This was quite a lifestyle change, but one of the constants in our life has been new gardens and new horizons.  The plants and trees (as well as many of the fruits and vegetables) in California were different than those in the mid-west.  Palm trees were planted.  🌞 🌴🌴🌴🌴🌅

Well, there's a time for all your kids to leave the nest.  We no longer needed four bedrooms and a yard full of trees and plants and herbs.  There was a bit of a grieving process for Tom as we contemplated living in an apartment complex for the very first time in our lives.  No more gardens to tend to.  What was he going to do with his time?  Well, we have transitioned quite nicely, thank you.  We have a pool and hot tub, and a gym here.  Who knew how great this could be?  

We also have...a balcony!  Do you know what you can do with a balcony?  You guessed it,  we now have a balcony garden.  And the rest, as they say, is history...🌱🌿🍃🌼🌺🌸